Third Shot Drop Tutorial: Get to the Kitchen Line Safely
A step-by-step guide to the third shot drop, the mistakes to avoid, and a drill that builds the touch.
Short answer: hit the ball softly, arc it so it peaks on your side, land it in the kitchen, and walk forward behind it.
Why the shot exists
In doubles, the serving team starts the point back at the baseline while the returners walk up to the net. If you drive the ball, they volley it at your feet. A drop lands in the kitchen, where they must let it bounce and hit upward, and that pause gives you time to advance.
Steps
- Get set early. Stop before you swing. A drop hit on the run tends to fly long or float.
- Use a continental grip, the same one you use for dinks and volleys, so you can open the face without changing your hand.
- Swing low to high from the shoulder, as if tossing the ball underhand. Keep the wrist quiet.
- Arc the ball so it reaches its highest point on your side of the net, then falls into the kitchen.
- Follow through toward your target.
- Move up behind it, and split step as your opponent hits.
What goes wrong
- Flicking the wrist, which ruins distance control
- Swinging too hard for a touch shot
- Standing at the baseline afterward
- Using the drop every time, so opponents creep forward. Mix in a drive occasionally
Drill
Stand at the baseline with a partner at the kitchen line feeding easy balls. Drop each one, step forward twice, and repeat from the new spot until you reach the line. Ten passes, three times a week, builds feel faster than games alone.
Does the paddle matter?
A softer, thicker paddle keeps the ball on the face a little longer and makes drops more forgiving. If yours often sail deep, look at a control paddle among our ten picks, and see the promo code page for savings.